Critic Reviews

Dungeon Siege II does not really bring anything too terribly new to the genre, but it is a lot of fun to play and should appeal to both RPGers like myself as well as those to like more action oriented games. And it sticks true to the original while freshening itself up a bit as well. It earns a very good four and one half out of five GiN gems to mend onto its favorite swords or armor.

I reviewed the original Dungeon Siege when it first came out and, although I have fond memories of the game, it did seem to get repetitive after extended playing sessions. Some of the same criticisms apply here, including the fact that at times you can feel like a spectator rather than commander, but the strategic elements and other facets have been improved to the point that these criticisms feel like nit picking. Dungeon Siege II is extremely attractive and addictive. I enjoyed it immensely.

Dungeon Siege 2 is very much a game out to have fun. It's not there to break any records, or to do anything tremendously new or innovative, or even to look graphically stunning. It's there to show off its own version of the standard story, and its own version of the underground fortress filled with goblins or trek up the evil burnt slopes of the giant mountain. Endlessly light and easy to play with untold improvements over the first game, this is a simple and easy blast for any players looking for something a little mindless to put on their PC.

Dungeon Siege II is an excellent hybrid of systematic dungeon crawls and traditional RPG gameplay that will reward most any RPG fan with quality hack-n-slash gameplay, strategic inventory management, and thoughtful character advancement. It might not offer an epic story or grand vision, but the sum of its parts is worthy of your investment in time and gaming dollar. The graphics and sound draw you in and the complex gameplay keeps you coming back for more. There aren’t many RPG games that hold my interest through to the closing credits, but Dungeon Siege II has made the short list and I recommend it highly.

When it comes down to it, Dungeon Siege II is a fine game that takes a while to appreciate. Those expecting a straightforward dungeon hack will find those elements in spades, while the traditional RPG fan will also be rewarded with a long story and lots of world detail. I contend that if DS2 rubs you the wrong way then you're just not digging deep enough. Not only was I compelled to finish the game as an editor, I felt a compulsion to finish the game as a gamer. For me, it rekindled a sense of adventure I hadn't realized I'd been missing, despite its quirks.

Dungeon Siege II is definitely one of those games that can be classed as a solid sequel. Whilst there have been some new additions to how the game plays, it's pretty much a slightly refined version of the original Dungeon Siege. This is no bad thing of course. However if you didn't like the first Dungeon Siege there's little here that will change your opinion but those who really enjoyed Dungeon Siege should see Dungeon Siege II as an essential purchase.

Dungeon Siege II not only maintains the same look and feel of gameplay as its predecessor, but also increases the depth to make it really feel like a new game altogether. The storyline is interesting enough to keep the average gamer playing into the wee hours of the morning. While the graphics engine may have only been tweaked slightly, the changes that were made only enhance the gaming experience. If you’ve played and liked the first Dungeon Siege, you’ll love the sequel.

Dungeon Siege II came as a bit of a surprise. It doesn’t suffer any truly overt flaws, though it can be criticized for being derivative and running an old game engine. On the other hand, system requirements are low and it has really polished the Diablo style of play to a fine pitch. Hack and slash gaming has its own particular appeal, a satisfaction born of the simplicity of getting better all the time while remaining challenged. Few games are better at this than DS2. On the other hand, while it does refine the genre, Dungeon Siege II doesn’t really offer anything truly new. Sure, we can take issues with the graphics or the somewhat uneven difficulty level, but the real trouble comes in the lack of meaningful addition. The game and entire genre would be all the richer if more creative effort had been expended to add a new depth to DS2.

If you like the Diablo series, the original DS or Sacred, you'll probably love DS2. It really builds on the original title to allow character customization; not to mention the pets, randomized goody drops, endless enemies, and plenty of missions. But if you want to play a game that faces a growing party with distinctive and original challenges, couched in a creative fashion, with good writing and voice acting as well as interestingly devised combat, then look elsewhere.

But critiquing a fantasy story in an RPG is a little like shooting orcs in a barrel. It hangs together well enough, and more exists as an excuse to create the set-pieces which provide Dungeon Siege with its most memorable moments. Simple puzzles in the underground, or battles in the treetop against leaping monsters enchant. While the boss fights are a little uninspiring, and where your team-mate AI most frustrates, it's a high calibre of slashing. So – Dungeon Siege II. An Action RPG. Good. Extremely Good. Just not as good as Diablo II. Damn. Three strikes. I'm out.

Nonetheless, despite all of these issues and some of the most egregious pathfinding problems in the history of gaming, Dungeon Siege II somehow manages to be fun. Its core premise is so strong, and the RPG elements so well-done, that this will definitely scratch any dungeon-crawling itch you have.

Although you won't get tons of replay value out of Dungeon Siege II, you will get to spend many, many hours on your first run through with virtually no filler. If you're into hacking and slashing and unlocking all kinds of great treasures then you'll want to grab a copy of Dungeon Siege II during your next videogame raid at your local gaming store.

Dungeon Siege II is a worthy sequel in the sense that it takes the ideas of the original and expands upon them slightly. Fans of the first game will appreciate the minor changes to the party customization and overall involvement in the combat. The series still has an overall generic feel though and the cookie cutter story doesn't help that matter at all. Aesthetics in the game are pleasing enough despite the graphics needing to be updated a bit to bring the series to the next level. If you're looking for a hack and slash RPG with plenty of stuff to do and time to kill then you can't go wrong with this one. Recommended

I found Dungeon Siege II very enjoyable, and it definitely has the same addictive manner. The story line isn't what is going to pull you into this game. It's the sheer joy of a good old fashion hack-n-slash adventure game with all the loot, gold, trinkets, and other items that go with it. Dungeon Siege II may not be for everyone, but you should know right away if you'll like it. If you liked Diablo, or Diablo 2, or Sacred or any other game along those lines, then you'll like Dungeon Siege II. Same feel, just better and more improved than its predecessors.

Overall, if you liked Dungeon Siege you will love this game. If you didn't like Dungeon Siege then stay away because this is a lot more of the same except with better graphics and more in depth game play. I suggest you consider downloading the demo version and testing that out first. Then you will have your own opinion of the game, and can make a decision from your own knowledge.

Despite some of its problems, Dungeon Siege II is truly fun to play. The monsters come at you in waves, and it's still a simple thrill to watch your party cleave through them like a knife through butter. (Icky, bloody butter.) Using your powers to deliver an incredible super blow and watching gibs fly across the screen is always worth a giggle, and the sweet, sweet sound that means a set piece has dropped is pure music. While it never strays too far from the standard action-RPG formula, Dungeon Siege II stands as one of the most solid games in its genre to date. An improved story, questing system, and plenty to do means that if you were a fan of the original and are in need of some good hacking and slashing, you should pick this one up.

In a nutshell, Dungeon Siege 2 is far from a perfect game. It has some clear and often inexplicable drawbacks, and yet it still manages to deliver a deep and immersive single-player gaming experience that had me glued to my monitor screen 'till the wee hours of the morning. Chris Taylor and the gang managed to do a lot of things right, most of which has to do with the care and attention that was given to exploration and the side-quests, while still botching up some things that I was sure they were going to get right this time around. The game gets a rating of 'very good' purely on the basis of the reviewer's tilt. After all, reviews are a subjective category no matter how you spin it.

Fans of hack and slash RPGs should be in their element with this game. The problem I had with it was mainly that this could have been a classic but for some annoying features. It is superior to its predecessor in many ways, with mostly wonderful innovations and a few irritants. If this franchise takes those things into consideration and develops a third to the series -- world look out!

Dungeon Siege II is a solid game with plenty to keep you busy for hours. The biggest problem is that the game is just too easy, and even though there are increased difficulty settings, you have to put in a good 40 hours just to unlock the veteran setting, and another 40 hours to reach elite. Unfortunately, the story and gameplay really aren't deep enough to warrant that many trips through the game. But, there haven't been a lot of good dungeon crawlers lately, and Dungeon Siege II does a respectable job of filling that void.

When Dungeon Siege saw the light a couple of years ago it was seen as a 3D version of the Diablo-series. Gas Power Games had given it beautiful graphics and a lot of action. That the classic RPG elementssuffered a bit didn't matter much to gamers but the game didn't get to become an overwhelming success like Diablo 2. Whether the developers managed to improve the gameplay with the successor Dungeon Siege II is something you can quickly find out by reading this review

Another good title brought to you by Microsoft and GasPowered Games. This is worth the price you pay for it, and it comeswith a book too! But it’s really something to check out if you have thetime and desire to experience Dungeon Siege II: Plains of Tears!

I'm a big fan of the original Dungeon Siege, though it does have perhaps the worst ending I've ever had the misfortune to experiencing in the modern era of gaming. That said, I still had a blast with it. Dungeon Siege II is also a mixed bag.

The best games of this genre—like, yes, Diablo—entice players with a steady carrot-and-stick mechanic, constantly dangling something cool in front of our noses. Dungeon Siege II errs by giving you way too much, all the time...ultimately diminishing the impact of everything you do. I don’t want or need a whole bag of carrots. I just want one.

And the best place to show that off is playing with your friends online. Dungeon Siege II at least partially redeems itself with serviceable multiplayer. It's still not up to the standard set by Diablo's bnet, but the system is friendly to bringing characters in and out of multiplayer and serves the basic purpose of getting you and up to three of your friends together for some hack-n-slash action. That, along with the expansive single player campaign should provide action-RPG fans with plenty of late night adventuring.

To me Dungeon Siege II is a reminder of the boredom that led me to give up video games for that brief 1 or 2 years. While the game itself is really well designed, and playing it is enjoyable enough, after I exit the game, there is nothing that stays with me. I could have just as easily been daydreaming for the past three hours of gameplay, rather than pointing and clicking my way through a thousand enemies. And believe me, when it comes down to it, make sure you have an expendable mouse to play to with, or one that will stand ten thousand plus left and right clicks an hour.

Dungeon Siege II is a 3D action RPG from Gas Powered games and Microsoft. In Dungeon Siege II you begin the game working for an evil lord named Valdis. He has hired you, a mercenary, and your friends to help him acquire an artifact protected by the Dryads. Your first mission starts on the front lines of a battle with the Dryads as you fight your way through the trenches toward their temple. Once you reach the temple you are greeted by your boss who promptly thanks you by killing your friend and leaving you at the mercy of your enemies who aren’t too merciful themselves. They capture you and whisk you away to one of their cities in the tree tops where you must work to gain their trust and get revenge on Valdis.

The original Dungeon Siege was a study in gameplay refinement, introducing a multitude of simple concepts that really changed PC role-playing for the better. Though some of that is still here, it's not so thrilling anymore. Dungeon Siege II is so streamlined that it has lost its hardcore edge. It still looks pretty and is a great way to relieve some stress after a tough day at work, but if you're looking for a challenge, this is one dungeon to crawl away from.